


tears

by sleepiemaggie



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Gen, Mentioned Black Eagles Students (Fire Emblem), Minor Canonical Character(s), My Unit | Byleth Has Emotions, Pre-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28939641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepiemaggie/pseuds/sleepiemaggie
Summary: the immediate aftermath of the death of byleth's father.
Relationships: Jeralt Reus Eisner & My Unit | Byleth
Kudos: 6





	tears

**Author's Note:**

> dude i found this in my docs from when fe3h first came out and was surprised at how like. actually not bad it was. so that's cool anyways jeralt's dead

This can't be happening.

That's all that they can think, the thought crossing their mind over and over.

They run to their father - their father, the only family they've ever known; their father, the one who raised them to be the person they are today - they run to his side, sees the angry red stain forming on his back, and they know.

They know this is the end for him.

They tried so hard, and yet…

"Sorry," their father gasps as they roll him onto his back. "It looks like… I'm going to have to leave you now." He closes his eyes.

Their eyes well up with… water? Are these what tears are? Some drop from their eyes, landing on their father's face. Suddenly his eyes snap open.

Of course his eyes do. They've never cried, before this.

He smiles, exhausted. "To think that the first time I saw you cry… your tears would be for me." His eyes close again.

Byleth hiccups, finding it hard to breathe.

"It's sad, and yet… I'm happy for it."

They bite their lip, trying to hold it all in.

"Thank you… kid."

A few beats of silence pass, and suddenly they can't hold it together anymore.

Byleth lets their head fall on their father's chest, their own chest quaking as they let the tears flow. They cry and cry, as if possessed by their own sadness.

They wish their father and they had never come to the monastery. Maybe then, he'd still be alive.

They think of their childhood. Of the various places they've lived together. Of all the traveling they've done together, and all the times they'd fallen asleep against their father's back as he rode from one place they'd both called home to the next.

They think of her father's band of mercenaries, think about what they'll all say. What will the sellswords do, they wonder. Will they all stick around with them, or leave since their father's gone?

Gone. That line of thought just riles the tears. Distantly, they're aware that it's raining, but they can't bring themself to care.

Their father's body has gone cold, but they don't care about that either. They just press closer to his chest, bumping his chin with their head like they used to do in their sleep as a child.

They hear their students approach, but they don't lift their head, don't look at any of them. Edelgard, their star, calls them, but they can't look at her, not now. Hubert advises that they all fetch the archbishop, and slowly, each of them back away.

They don't know if they're still crying or if there's just rain falling on their face. They don't care to question it. There's a certain sense of serenity, though, lying here on their father in the rain. They're exhausted.

Soon they hear more footsteps - surely Rhea and some others. A hand lands gently on the side of their face, stroking their hair, and they hiccup, trying not to cry anymore.

Another bigger hand lands on their shoulder and squeezes it.

"Come now, Professor, you'll catch a cold if you stay out here," Alois's voice, usually so loud and peppy, sounds so wrong.

Byleth gives a nod of their head. Before getting up, they give their father's body one last proper hug.

"I love you, Dad," they whisper, quietly as can be.

Alois helps them up, hefting them with a hand on their arm. They watch as Rhea says a prayer over their father's body. Then she gets up as well, gives them a sad smile, and squeezes their other arm.

"May he rest in peace," the archbishop says thickly. Byleth's surprised to see tears in her eyes.

They let Alois walk them back to their room. Neither of them speak. They can tell that Alois is trying to put on a brave face for them, but they don't mention it.

Alois hugs them when they get to their door.

"Try to get some sleep, Professor."

Byleth nods mutely. Alois gives them his best salute and tries to smile.

"Thank you, Alois." 

They open the door, they walk in, and they close it.

And the tears fall anew.


End file.
